Ultimate Christmas List

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Christmas time is upon us, and I thought it would be fun to give you a look at my ultimate Christmas list from every year of my life. I chose to do every year because what is popular now was popular when I was an infant. It’s not one of those cases that history repeats itself, I think it actually represents how iconic these products are because they are just as relevant now as they were back then. For every year, I chose to give you a toy, a piece of apparel and a sneaker – just to give you an idea of what I was really into.

1984

Toy: Blanket. I was three months old, I just wanted to sleep.

Apparel: Again I am an infant, so give me a onesi, but make it dope. Black and Red or something.

1991

Sneaker: My mom got me a pair of Pumas for school this year, which was kind of cool. I was always appreciative to have decent shoes year in and year out, but what I really wanted were some Air Jordan VIs! That’s why you don’t start school shopping late. Christmas was the perfect opportunity for her to make up for this. It didn’t happen, but I survived.

1992

Apparel: This was the year I realized I was getting clothes for Christmas, and I was not a happy camper.

Sneaker: Air Force 180 Low. It had a midfoot strap…so dope! I actually had the Air Raid though, in the Peace/Graffiti colorway, which was pretty fresh to me.

1993

Toy: Shaq Attaq toys. I, like the rest of youth in 1993, was completely enamored with the new face of the NBA. Sadly, I still have these toys and can’t get rid of them. Any buyers?

Apparel: Jordan jersey–home or away–didn’t matter. And a Starter jacket. The Charlotte Hornets. I got the White/Teal one and the Black/Teal the following year.

Sneaker: Air Jordan VIII. This shoe and particularly 1993 began my sneaker obsession.

1994

Toy: At this point, I am not so much into toys anymore, but I am into basketball cards. This would be the year my grandma got the 1992 Topps Stadium Club Beam Team of Michael Jordan. It was worth a $100 then. My first thing of real value. Still have it, along with 3,000+ other Jordan cards, in their original cases. Again, any buyers?

Apparel: Fab 5, Fab 5, Fab 5. I wanted their Nike edition shorts so bad. The home color. That hue of yellow was so beautiful!

Sneaker: The Air Unlimited. The ultimate Huarache shoe. I could never find them in youth sizes, though, so my mom hooked me up with the Jordan IX. My first Air Jordan. 1994 was a good year.

1999

Toy: I wanted a Dreamcast. Thank God my parents didn’t get me that though, or that would have been my last gaming system they ever purchased for me.

Apparel: I was in high school, clothes were important, but I could care less about anything Abercrombie. All I wanted was Jumpman23 product.

Sneaker: Air Jordan XIV Low. I now had a job and was buying my own product. I purchased the White/Columbia colorway and the Navy/White pair, so my mom hooked me up with the Ginger pair for Christmas. I still have all three in pristine condition.

2000

Toy: Playstation 2! Revolutionary. I had to sell my Nintendo 64 and Playstation 1 to help pay for part of it, but I was well on my way to getting one of the greatest gaming systems ever.

Apparel: Just give me a gift card to American Eagle. Current Brett really regrets that request.

Sneaker: The Jordan Trunner. I loved that shoe and still do. One of the best products to come from the launching of the Jordan Brand. Plus, I already had bought the Concord and Space Jam myself.

2001

Toy: See below.

Apparel: See below.

Sneaker: True story here: I befriended a receptionist at a competitor shoe catalog simply because he saw how many preorders I had made on my account for up-coming retro product (back when you could still do that if you knew the product number). So, he gave me his direct line to order stuff and even gave me a heads up on product for when it was available for preorder. The relationship grew to where he had flagged my house as a troubled neighborhood, so I got free overnight shipping, and he gave me his discount, 50%! Needless to say, we ordered all my gifts through him that year. Fossil Carbon watch, check! Jumpman23 Leather Bomber Jacket, check! Air Jordan XI Black/Red, check! He was eventually fired though, and that fun little run ended.

2007

Apparel: Anything streetwear. In particular, the Hundreds and Diamond.

Sneaker: I just started my job at New Balance in Boston. My future wife and I could afford nothing. So, I was pooling money to save for the Air Jordan XX3 in February. One of the greatest basketball shoes ever created.

2008

Toy: Not really a toy, but the Glow In The Darkbook was something I wanted and still am inspired by today.

Apparel: I really started getting into Nike Sportswear this year. I loved the tech approach to the construction.

Sneaker: One of my favorite shoes of all time, the Nike LunaRacer. Simply, iconic.

2009

Toy: Moleskins. I became obsessed with them that year, and I still am.

Apparel: A pair of Burberry jeans. I thought they were dope because they tailored them to fit me.

Sneaker: Kobe V. I stayed up until they were available to order on Christmas day on NikeID. Made mine all yellow with a black midsole and white outsole. I still break them out from time to time.

2010

Toy: I really wanted a new car this year, a Cadillac CTS Wagon. I didn’t get it, but I got it a year later!

Sneaker: Air Jordan 1 Black/Red. Funny how things come full circle. But real is real, and this is an iconic shoe. I pretty much only buy product these days that I can see myself wearing five years from now. That is also why I buy a lot of FlyKnit. But, these 1s are a must have. They started the culture. While I still wear my pair from 2001 from time to time, I will be grabbing two pairs of this release. One to keep, and one might just be ending up in JBF Custom’s hands…we shall see.